Twylah Campbell is an AmeriCorps VISTA Leader who has found pure joy and professional growth through the AmeriCorps program. She discovered AmeriCorps in 2020 while visiting the Renaissance Charter School in Queens, NY. “The school was seeking a VISTA to support some data collection and data integration tasks, which would help the school track student adjustment, enrollment, attendance and monitoring activities during the pandemic. The moment I heard about the work being done by VISTAs, I fell in love with the program”, Campbell said.
Because of her enthusiasm and passion, after just one year of service, her team encouraged her to consider becoming a leader. She completed her second term as a VISTA Leader for the Up2Us Sports sponsor organization in New York City. Twylah credits her service as a huge factor in honing her professional skills. “Everything about being a VISTA is so solidly built on the idea that you are learning while serving…it makes service so do-able. I love that all that I am learning is so applicable from one role to the next”, says Campbell. When Twylah relocated to Virginia, she utilized her VISTA network to help her find a new role. Currently, she is in her third service year, proudly contributing as the AmeriCorps VISTA Leader for Serve Virginia.
Serving with AmeriCorps exposes you to hands-on experiences that can have a positive impact on your life. Twylah reflects on a memorable moment from a VISTA project she participated in during a 9/11 Day of Service Event. “I helped my program leaders develop a virtual online 9/11 Day of Service event that gave all our VISTAs (nationwide) an opportunity to come together and unite under one service activity. Even though we were spread out across different states, the virtual event allowed each member to volunteer in an online format”, shared Campbell. “This event really stood out because not only did it give me a chance to really dive in and help with event planning, it also gave me a chance to see how day-to-day operations can transition from in-person to fully online mode and still be effective. Volunteering is not limited to the space right in front of you. It can reach across the U.S. through virtual opportunities. In that sense, anyone, anywhere can volunteer and make a difference”, says Campbell.
Although Twylah is an AmeriCorps advocate, she acknowledges that there may be challenges to overcome. “One of the biggest challenges I think with the VISTA program is the commitment to serve a full year, but at the same time, it does not offer a solid income stream. It was difficult to decide to volunteer for little to nothing in terms of pay,” says Campbell. Despite the financial strains, she truly believes the AmeriCorps VISTA program will help her solidify a successful career. “Similar to committing to college and the prospects of completing your degree and finding employment, in the end, the VISTA program has the potential to serve as a non-traditional route to a meaningful career. I hope it will lead to a meaningful investment of my time. I hope the program, long term, can be an alternative career-development path for others; others who may be seeking something outside the traditional college to work trajectory,” she said.
In the end, Twylah truly believes she made a fantastic decision to join AmeriCorps VISTA and embark on a life of service. When asked what advice she would give to those looking to join AmeriCorps, Campbell replied, “Do it! If you come across an opportunity listing that seems just right for you, take a chance; apply. That small step can lead to something you never even thought possible. Just try it!”
We celebrate Twylah Campbell and her dedication to service and AmeriCorps.
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